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Golf on Cape Cod  - Golf Travel

THE VILLAGES: THE “ADULT DISNEY WORLD”
AND GOLFER’S PARADISE… Even for Cape Codders

By Barbara Fitzpatrick

Is there really an “adult Disney World” in Florida? Yes, according to more than 50,000 residents now living in the active adult community called The Villages, located in central Florida.

“We know of more than 200 residents from Cape Cod now residing full-time or as seasonal residents here in The Villages,” according to Walter Ennes, former Harwich policeman and president of the newly formed Cape Cod Club. The projected number of residents by 2010 is 70,000 in an area covering more than 15 square miles approximately 20 miles south of Ocala.

Why are so many people purchasing homes or villas in the Villages, at the rate of 10 a day? My husband Larry and I had been looking for a gated golfing community for more than 15 years, one that offered a variety of social and recreational activities, as well as challenging golf courses. We heard about this affordable golfing retirement community on the Golf Channel about three years ago. After sending away for their promotional package, we were attracted to The Villages for all of the reasons advertised.

It calls itself the “friendliest hometown in Florida,” and sports five championship golf courses, as well as 11 executive golf courses that we can “play free for the rest of our lives.” After visiting The Villages, we thought this might be the place where we could become seasonal residents…. with over 300 organized activities and at least 100 “unorganized” activities. My favorite unorganized activity is kite flying! Now in our second year as seasonal residents (as opposed to Snowbirds, who are here only two or three months), we are thrilled to be owners.

Residents of The Villages are automatically members of all the golf and tennis facilities… with free country club membership. And the golfing facilities are superb, including the two golf academies located at the Nancy Lopez and Arnold Palmer Country Clubs. They offer state-of-the-art technology that analyzes your golf swing and fits you to new golf clubs. As new homeowners, Larry and I were invited to participate in a half-hour analysis of our golf swings at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. Patrick Leahy, the director of golf, wondered what he could do to make our golfing experiences in The Villages more rewarding. After taking the special lesson package for spouses, both Larry and I believe that we improved our games, even lowering our handicaps a few strokes.

There now are seven Championship courses, including the Arnold Palmer Legends and Cane Garden courses that have opened this year. In that same short time, more new Executive courses have become available. The Executive courses offer three skill levels of play from beginner (1) to the more advanced (3), and are very popular. On the seven Championship courses, residents with priority memberships pay fees of $18-$34, depending upon which course they play. Since we are seasonal residents, we are priority members, which costs approximately $800 for a six-month family membership. A priority membership allows us to make tee times via computer a week ahead, and there are free trail fees for those who own their own golf carts. (Most residents own their golf carts, using them as second cars.) I can honestly say that we have not had a problem getting our first or second choices of tee times when we make computer reservations four to seven days ahead of time. Priority membership also offers other privileges throughout The Villages, such as opportunities to use specialty facilities for you and your guests. Some of the priority pools are for members and guests over 30 years of age.

If golf is not your major interest, top-notch clay tennis courts are available throughout the different villages. The most popular sport, however, (after golf) is pickleball…a combination of paddleball, ping-pong, badminton and tennis! There are over 60 pickleball courts with many new ones under construction. The softball facility, which houses four fields where more than 700 play softball, is in the polo stadium complex. Polo is a very popular spectator sport here during the spring and fall months. The recreation centers include swimming pools, fitness centers, bocce and shuffleboard courts, and pickleball or tennis courts. And there are two state-of-the-art bowling facilities in Town Square. With more than 25 recreation centers and 50 pools located throughout the different villages, one is never bored.
And if sports are not your interest, a Life Long Learning College is housed in the Charter School complex. The Charter School includes early childhood through high school grades, contained in an incredible new educational complex with the latest technology. (I find this fascinating, since children under 21 years of age are not allowed to live in The Villages.) The Charter School serves not only the employees’ families, but also families in the surrounding communities.

Town Square and Market Square are the two entertainment centers. Every night, 365 days a year, there is free live entertainment at both venues. The music is usually from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, what our kids call “elevator music,” and line dancing is very popular. People from all over central Florida come to the Town Squares to join in the festivities.
The Villages is an over-55 adult community, and we feel blessed that, in an emergency, we have a 220-bed regional hospital with wonderful medical services. We are also only an hour from Orlando or Gainesville, where there are large teaching and research hospitals.

Owned and managed by the Harold Schwartz family, The Villages has been “a work in progress for more than 40 years.” Harold, an entrepreneur and visionary, “planned a community dedicated to an enjoyable and affordable lifestyle.” He began buying up land in the Ocala area back in the 1960’s, about the same time that Walt Disney was acquiring land in Orlando. In 1983 Harold acquired the original “Orange Blossom Gardens,” a mobile-home community, and immediately built a golf course and recreation center. He envisioned a world-class retirement hometown – “a millionaire’s lifestyle on a retirement budget.” Today, homes or villas ranging in price (including land) from the low $100,000’s to more than $1 million are for sale. As seasonal residents, we already have made a profit on our investment of two years ago in a two-bedroom villa. This translates into having the best of both worlds – six months in Florida and six months on Cape Cod!

Do consider visiting The Villages, which has an incredible marketing program whereby prospective buyers experience, first-hand, life at The Villages. Visitors may make arrangements through the Preview Lifestyle Plan Program, flying into Orlando and arriving in The Villages in a stretch limousine to stay five-to-seven days for $150 per day. You will be housed in a $300,000-$400,000 home or villa. In the program, you receive $75 per day in “Village money” that can be used throughout The Villages –to play the championship golf courses, participate in tennis or bowling, dine in the restaurants or attend the latest movie in one of the two theaters. The program makes for an inexpensive, fun vacation/house-hunting experience and is a wonderful introduction to The Villages lifestyle.

Visit their web site at www.thevillages.com